Tent pole packed-length list (list retired; thread still open)

List Retired. No longer updated.

This thread is a list of the packed lengths of tent poles. The focus is what the manufacturers provide for recent models. At the end of this first post are links to other threads for shortening long tent poles or packing them.

Please post measurements that you make. Information from retailers is sometimes close and sometimes not very close at all.

Please round up to the next centimeter or half-inch. If you measure directly in both cm and inches there will be no number in parentheses. When there is a length in parentheses, it is my conversion and may be a bit long.

DISCLAIMER: Tent manufacturers can change the poles easily. This list has only what ADV inmates report, including different pole lengths for different years for some tents. If you buy a tent a few days before your departure and find out they changed the poles, I can add a new row to this table but I can't help you with packing the tent.

TENT POLE PACKED LENGTHS

______________________________________________________________________
Alpkit

Ordos 2 2018 Aluminium -- 42 cm (17")​

Alps Mountaineering

Equinox 3 2010 -- (38cm) 15"
Extreme 3 2013 Aluminum -- (46cm) 18"
Mystique 1.5 2012 Aluminum -- 15.5"
Mystique 2.0 2012 Aluminum -- (44cm) 17"
Taurus 2 Fiberglass -- (51cm) 20"
Zephyr 3 2014 -- (46cm) 18"​

Asolo

Astro 3 2011 -- (48cm) 19"​

Big Agnes

(Big Agnes has a line of tents with short poles made specifically for bicycle touring)
Big House 4 2013 Aluminum -- (65cm) 25.5"
Copper SpurUL2 2010 Aluminum -- 54cm (21.5") Aluminum hubs
Copper SpurUL2 2011/2012 Aluminum -- (42cm) 16.5" Aluminum hubs
Copper SpurUL2 2014 Aluminum -- (40cm) 15.5" Aluminum hubs
Copper SpurUL4 2014 Aluminum -- (54cm) 21" Aluminum hubs
Elk Horn 3 2009 -- (49cm) 19" Aluminum hubs
Emerald Mountain SL2 -- (47cm) 18.5"
Fly Creek UL2 2012 Aluminum -- (46cm) 18" 1 hub
Gore Pass 3 -- (51cm) 20"​

Black Diamond

HiLight 2014 -- (40cm), 15.75" 1 hub
First Light 2015 -- (23cm?) 9"
Mesa 2009 -- 54cm, 21.25" 1 hub
Oasis 3 -- 48cm, 19"​

Cabellas

XPG Ultralight (3-person) Aluminum -- (45cm) 17.5"​

Coleman

Sundome 2 Fiberglass -- (46cm) 18"​

Easton

Rimrock 1 2014 Aluminum -- (36cm) 14"​

Eureka

Apex 2XT 2007 Fiberglass -- (47cm) 18.5"
Backcountry 1 and 2 Aluminum -- (36cm) 14"
Midori Solo 2014 Aluminum -- 41cm (16")
Mountain Pass 2XTE 2012 Aluminum -- (41cm) 16"
Mountain Pass 2XTE 2018 Aluminum -- (37cm) 14.5"
Mountain Pass 3XTE 2011 Aluminum -- (47cm) 18.5"
Solitaire 2015 Fiberglass -- (43cm) 17"
Spitfire 1 2011 (?) Aluminum -- 35cm, 14" Angles strung in-line
Spitfire 2 2012 Aluminum -- (38cm) 15" Angles strung in-line
Timberline 4 Aluminum -- (52cm) 20.5" 2 hubs
Timberline SQ Outfitter 6 Aluminum -- (55cm) 21.5" 2 hubs​

Exped

Gemini II Aluminum -- (36cm), 14.25"
Mira II 2012 Aluminum -- 40cm, 15.75"
Orion II Extreme 2014 Aluminum -- 39cm (15.5")
Outer Space (vestibule for other Exped tents) 2015 Aluminum -- 39cm (15.5")
Venus II 2012 Aluminum -- 39cm (15.5")​

Ferrino

Nemisi 1 2012 Aluminum -- 34cm (13.5") Hub
Spectre 2 Aluminum -- 34cm, 13.5"​

Golite

Imogene UL2 2013 Aluminum -- (46cm) 18"
Shangri-La 3 2014 Aluminum -- 42cm,16.75"​

Hilleberg

Staika 2012 -- (45cm) 17.75"
Unna -- 44cm, 17.5"​

Kelty

Grand Mesa 2 2010 Aluminum -- 47cm (18.5")
Gunnison 2 -- (47cm) 18.5"
Salida 2 2011/12 Aluminum -- (47cm) 18.5" or (46cm) 18" (either can compress about 1/2" in length)
Stick 1 2009 Aluminum -- (41cm) 16"
TN3 2014 Aluminum -- (34cm) 13.25"
Trail Dome 4 2011 Aluminum -- (55cm) 21.5"​

Marmot

Astral 2P Aluminum -- (59cm) 23"
EOS 1P Aluminum -- (46cm) 18.25"
Force 3P 2016 Aluminum -- (45cm) 17.5"
Limelight 2P 2010 Aluminum -- (51cm) 20"
Limelight 2P 2012 Aluminum -- (54cm) 21"
Limelight 2P 2018 Aluminum -- (59cm) 23" Shorter poles from Marmot in THIS post.
Limelight 3P 2016 Aluminum -- 50cm, 19.5"
Thor 2P 2008 Aluminum -- (45cm), 17.5"
Tungsten 2P Aluminum -- (55cm), 21.5"​

Mountain Hardwear

Corners 4 -- (54cm) 21"
Drifter 2 2011-2012 Aluminum -- 50cm, 19 3/8"
Super Mega Ultralight 2 2012 -- 53cm, 21" 1 hub, one bend​

Mountainsmith

Altura -- 33cm, 13"
Morrison 2 2013 Aluminum -- (38cm) 15"
Celestial 2014 Aluminum -- 38cm, 15"​

MSR

Carbon Reflex 2 2013 Carbon fiber -- 19.25" 2 poles, no hubs
Elixir 2 2014 Aluminum -- 46.5cm (18.5") 2 poles, no hubs
Hubba 2008 Aluminum -- 49cm, 19.25" 2 hubs
Hubba Hubba 2011 Aluminum -- 43cm, 17" aluminum hubs (2)
Hubba Hubba NX 2014 Aluminum -- 47cm, 18.25" aluminum hubs
Shifter 2 -- (54 cm) 21"
Zoid 1 2007 Aluminum -- 47cm (18.5") Angles​

Nemo

Galaxi 2P 2016 Aluminum -- (41cm), 16.25"
Losi 2P 2011 Aluminum -- (42cm), 16.75"
NEMO Losi LS 3P 2017 Aluminum -- (59cm), 23" 1 Hub
Morpho 2P 2011 Inflatable -- any length​

Outdoor Research

Alpine bivy Plastic -- (30cm?) 12"
​

Quechua

T3 Ultralight Pro -- 34cm, 13.5"​

Redverz

Expedition II 2012 Aluminum -- (54cm) 21"​

REI

Camp Dome 2 2013 Aluminum -- 52cm, 20.5"
Half Dome Plus 2 Aluminum -- (46cm) 18"
Half Dome 4 (name applied to different designs) 2012 Aluminum -- (59cm) 23" Angles + hubs
Hoodoo 3 2009 Aluminum -- (49cm) 19"
Passage 2 2012 Aluminum -- (46cm) 18"
Quarter Dome T2 2011 Aluminum -- (43cm) 17"
Taj 3 2011 Aluminum -- (50cm) 19.4"​

Salewa

Sierra Leone Pro 3 2018 Aluminum -- (34cm) 13.25"​

Sierra Designs

Cirrus 3 Aluminum -- 45cm, 17.5"
Clip Flashlight 2 2002 Aluminum -- 46cm, 18"
Lightning 2 2015 Aluminum -- (54cm) 21"
Sirius 2 2010 Aluminum -- 50.5cm, 20"
Zeta 2 2010 -- (46cm) 18"​

SlingFin

2Lite 2016 Aluminum -- (33cm) 13"​

Snow Peak

Tarp poles, 125cm assembled (41.5") Aluminum -- 25cm (10")
​

Stoic

Templum 2.1 -- 47cm, 18.5"​

The North Face

Bedrock 4 2012/13 Aluminum -- (52cm) 20.5"
Big Fat Frog 2010 Aluminum -- 53 cm, 21 in 4 poles, 2 with angles
Flint 2 2012 Aluminum (2) -- (51cm) 20"
Tadpole Aluminum -- (37cm) 14.5"
Talus 3 Aluminum -- (45cm) 17.5"​

Vango

Halo 200 Aluminum -- 40cm, 15.75"​

__________________________________________________________________________________

LINKS TO SOURCES OF SHORTER POLES:

Quest Outfitters
Tent Pole Technologies​

THREADS DESCRIBING HOW TO PACK LONG ITEMS:
This post shows a PVC tube across the back of a Concours.

2010 Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 maximum lenght of any of the aluminum poles is 54cm

Thanks for your help.

From now on I will give lengths in both centimeters and inches, with my conversion in parenthesis.

MSR -- Zoid 1 -- 2007 -- Aluminum -- 47cm (18.5")

Kelty -- Grand Mesa 2 -- 2010 -- Aluminum -- 47cm (18.5")

Thanks StriderTB.

Cool thread; pole length is a big factor for people who dislike things being "outside" their luggage and often they're the longest single item you need to carry. Will post back when I've checked exact pole length on my tents.

This is exactly why I think I'm going to try a new Nemo tent this year. The inflatable air core is a really cool idea. While packed weights may be similiar, I havent seen a poled tent that comes close in terms of pack size.

My Cabela's 3 person XPG Ultralight with alum poles fits in my panniers which are 17.5" long.

Thanks again everyone for the information. This thread would be threadbare without your contributions.

The poles for the Spitfire 2 and Salida 2 tents above pack VERY small and will fit square (not angled) in any of my luggage except the tank bags. Packability is one criteria for me, but there are many others. I want this thread because pole length is not listed in the usual sources but we can measure it objectively.

Thanks for this thread, Grinnin

Eureka Backcountry I and II use 14" poles.

Thanks again. I may fold the year info into the model thread or just stop listing it except for models that have changed frequently over the years (REI Half Dome has changed a lot and often).

• Brand - The North Face
• Model - Tadpole 2 man (ya right)
• Year - looks like the current model is Big Fat Frog...larger vestibule now!
• Pole - AL
• Length - 14.5 inches

Folded pole length was an important criteria when I was shopping. Few have shorter individual links. Used it religiously until I was 65. I do not bend now so I went bigger of course. Bigger pad, bigger tent, bigger pillow!

Thanks, Twohondas. Although the Tadpole is gone from the TNF site, it is still available from retailers.

Big House 4---25.5" aluminum

2013

I think Tadpole was current thru 2011/12. The Big Fat Frog looks to be the same but with a better vestibule that you can slide into instead of backing up into.

When I was searching for tents that would fit ..... I went down to REI and made them break out and setup the tent. As far as I know that is the only sure way of getting individual pole lengths although overall pack length is a strong indicator.

I still have my Tadpole but use a TNF Basecamp 4 mostly...but much longer pole lengths.

If you'll measure then I'll add it in.

While this list may seem to advocate short poles and small tents, the information can be useful for any size tent that people would routinely put on a bike. If I was shopping for a 4-person tent that I could stand up in, I'd want to know the pole length of those tents too. I have carried 63cm, 24.5" poles on the bike, but I used a larger duffel to do so. The reason they're not in the table is that the tent is from the '90s and no longer available.

Kelty Trail Dome 4, 2011, Aluminum, 21.5"

Brand - The North Face
Model - Bedrock 4
Year - 2012/13
Pole - AL
Length - 20.5 inches

Hi i just cut mine in half picked up al tube same size as used by manufacturer for joiners hardware shop$3.00Robert